Motor vehicle



8, 1945. J. P. MARCY 2,383,611

MOTOR VEHICLE Filed Sept. 4, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 40/7 IQMaW 'Augzs, 1945. J. MARC-Y 1 2,383,611

MOTOR VEHICLE Filed Sept. 4, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Marcy A TTO/FNEY,

Aug. 28, 1945. J. P. MARCY N MOTOR VEHICLE-- Filed Sept. '4, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. (/0/7/7 P Marcy l the provision of a .same may be quickly connected Patented Aug. 28, 1945 UNITED STATES PAT'EN 1' O FICE MOTOR VEHICLE John P. Marcy, Oak Ridge, Application September'4, 1944, Serial No.

4 Claims.

This invention acter adapted when the necessity for repair or the like is presented. I

One of the important aims of this invention is motor vehicle having a subflt into mainframe where objectionable displacement cannot occur.

It has heretofore automotive circles to parts whereby the to the main frame of a vehicle without loss of time nor sacrifice of rigidity and endurance qualities.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of hicle made in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view'of the rear portion of the main frame of the vehicle showing the power unit assembly embodying the invention, in place.

a motor ve- Tenn.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 3.

. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on line VV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a similar view taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 3, and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig; 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line VII'VI[ of Fig. 6.

is on the longitudinal axis of the vehicle at its rear end. g

A sub-frame i8 carries drive wheel It as well as the engine 20. This engine may be of any type and is operably joined to wheel it through parts 22 including of course, a transmission of desired type. A gasoline tank 24, a battery 26, and connections therefrom to engine 20, not here shown, are all mounted on sub-frame IS in order that this said frame may serve as a support for all of the elements needed to drive wheel I6. Any type A of bearing may be used to mount wheel I6 so long as strength and removability are allowed.

Sub-frame I8 is substantially V-shaped to conform to the contour of the rear portion of frame i 8 to receive one end of shock absorbing units 30. These shock absorbing units are mounted upon stub shafts 32 journalled in subframe It and project upwardly to yoke 28 where they are secured thereto through the medium of nuts or analogous means 34. Friction plates 36 and 3B, rigid with main frame and sub-frame l0 and i8 respectively, permit the relative movement between these said frames as shock absorblength because thereof. These springs are housed within the case of the shock absorbing element 30.

The forwad end of sub-frame i8 is secured to transverse shaft 42 Journalled in bearings 44 more fully hereinafter described,

clearance).

r on main frame It. Bearings 46 on the forward ends of V-shaped sub-frame it, have removable caps that are manipulated in a manner hereinafter described, when sub-frame II is to be removed from operative position in main frame ID.

A pair of supporting wheels 48 swingably secured to sub-frame 18, are yieldably held in a position shown in dotted lines of Fig. 8 (the legs of the channels of frame l8 are cut away for When the sub-frame is to be removed for replacement, wheels 48 are dropped to the condition shown in full lines of Fig. 8 and in Figs. 4 and 5. 'rr ese two wheels in combination with drive wheel l8, will serve to hold the sub-frame l8 in a horizontal position.

When sub-frame l8 and all of its supported parts are to be removed from main frame it, the latter is supported bya pair of jacks 50, one of which is disposed on each side of frame l adjacent to shaft 42. Shaft 42 has worm gears 52 rigid thereon to engage a nut 54 held by bracket 56 for rotation about jack 50.

Jack 50 is screw-threaded and when nut 54 is turned by rotating shaft 42 about its axis, the heads 58 of jacks 50 are lowered to the supporting surface and thereby main frame Ill is provided with means for maintaining the same in a substantially horizontal position. While so held, the main frame i0 is disconnected from sub-frame It by removing the caps of bearings 48, and further, by removing nuts 34 of shock absorbing elements 30. Such controls as are necessary to lead from engine 20 or transmission 22, are coupled together at the edge of sub-frame l8 and disconnected when this frame is to be removed from the operative position.

If it becomes necessary or desirable to raise or lower main frame l0 while it is being supported by jacks 50 a crank may be attached to the squared ends 60 of shaft 42.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that-subframe 18 with all of the elements mounted thereon, may be quickly detached from main frame Ill and a different sub-frame l8 moved to position and attached, with a minimum amount of effort and time. Such conventional parts as have been illustrated as having a place on sub-frame 18 do not form a part of the invention. only so far as they constitute a part of the removable unitary power unit, of which sub-frame I8 is the essential member. It is, therefore, understood that motor vehicles embodying this invention might be made to present different physical characteristicsv than those illustrated and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by letters Patent is: 7

1. In a motor vehicle of the character del scribed, a power unitincluding a drive wheel, an engine and a sub-frame to hold the said engine and the wheel in operative relation; a main frame having steering wheels thereon; means for pivotally securing one end of the sub-frame to the main frame; shock absorbing elements Joining the sub-frame and the main frame at a point remote from the pivotal means;' and structure for removably securing the pivotal means and the shock absorbing elements to the subframe whereby the power unit may be bodily separated from the mainframe, said drive wheel being at the opposite end of the sub-frame adiacent to the shock absorbing elements.

2. In a motor vehicle of the character described, a power unit including a drive wheel. an engine and a sub-frame to hold the said engine and the wheel in operative relation; a main frame; and structure forxemovably securing the sub-frame to the main frame whereby the power unit may be bodily separated from the main frame, said structure including a device pivotally joining one end of the sub-frame and the main frame, the saiddrive' wheel being at the opposite end of the sub-frame, said sub-frame having shock absorbing elements interposed between the opposite end thereof and the main frame. 7

3. In a motor vehicle of the character described, a power unit including a drive wheel, an engine and a sub-frame to hold the said engine and the wheel in operative relation; a main frame; and structure for removably securing the sub-frame to the main frame whereby the power unit may be bodily separated from the main frame, said. main frame and the sub-frame being pivotally interconnected by a transverse shaft iournalled in the main frame, said frame having a lifting jack geared to each end respec tively of the shaft and operable when the shaft is rotated about its axis.

4. In a motor vehicle of the character described, a power unit including a drive wheel, an engine and a sub-frame to hold the said engine and the wheel in operative relation; a main frame; structure for removably securing the subframe to the main frame whereby the power unit may be bodily separated from the main frame; a liftin lack carried by the main frame at each side thereof; and a transverse shaft pivotally joining the sub-frameto the main frame, said shaft being joined to the lifting jacks to operate the same when the shaft is rotated about its axis, said sub-frame having one end thereof detachably fastened to the shaft.

JOHN P. W. 

